Device for folding endless bands of paper



Aug- 5, 1958 C. L. H. SUPLIGEAU 2,846,215

DEVICE FOR FOLDING ENDLEss BANDS oF PAPER Filed March 24, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 lf F (4M-4% -6` v Aug. 5, 1958 c. H. SUPLIGEU DEvIcE FDR FOLDING ENDLEss BANDS oF PAPER Filed Maren 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 e 2,846,215 Patented Aug". V5, 1958 `icc DEVICE FOR FLDHNG ENDLESS BANDS F PAPER Charles Lon Hippolyte Supligean, Malakoff, France, assignor to Perrine-Guyot & Cie-C. Supligeau, Malakoff, France, a coporate body of lllirance Application March 24, i954, Serial No. 418,379 yClaims priority, application France April 13, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 27th-69) This invention relates to an apparatus for continuously plaiting coiled strip paper stock successively into a series of flattened folds. Paper of this type is more or less widely used on accounting machines, typewriters, adding machines, cash registers and the like.

Before the folding or plaiting operation, the paper strip stock may be printed, coated, or otherwise prepared for its particular use, and of `course the various preparatory operations are carried out on machines which are separate from the folding apparatus. In some cases the folding operation is performed on a single strip or on several strips stacked together.

While apparatus of the type for folding strip stock in plaited form has been heretofore propsed, nevertheless, the folds are formed with the aid of vanes or by grippers mounted either on carriages, or on cylinders, or even by rotary vanes in the form of Archimedean screw. All of these devices are complicated, difficult to adjust, and generally operate at limited speeds.

Accordingly, the presnet invention has as itse primary object the provision of an entirely rotary form of apparatus in which the grippers, blades and the like are eliminated.-

ln that connection the distinctive feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of juxtaposed feed rollers intended to rotate in opposite directions and having their adjacent peripheries adjusted to form a strip stock feeding pass, the rollers themselves being provided with a vacuum chamber communicating with the periphery of each roller through the medium of suitable atmospheric inlet means disposed longitudinally across the periphery of each roll. The timing of the cycle of each of the rolls is such that normally the atmospheric inlets are disposed approximately 180 apart so that as the strip stock passes between the rolls it will be caused to adhere to first one roll and then the other, and at the appropriate point in the cycle of each roll the strip stock will be directed and pressed into a fold so that as the sheet proceeds between the rolls the folds in the sheet will `be alternately formed by first one roll and then the other, and the folded paper resulting from this operation may be then led to an appropriate table or conveyor for further treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide means associated with each of the vacuum chambers in the feed rolls to close the atmospheric inlets during that portion of the cycle of each roll which is not operating on the paper.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the .invention is better understood, the same consists in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the. accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic side elevation of an apparatus made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a distorted diagrammatic horizontal cross section intended to show the relationship of the feed rollers and the pinch rollers which form the fold in the sheet.

2 Fig. 3 shows the paper strip suction-engaged with the right-hand feed roll.

Fig. 4 shows the paper strip in the process of being folded by the pinch cam cooperating with the related feed roll, thereby illustrating the next step in the operation after Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates the paper strip released iby the pinch cam and the right-hand feed roll after having been folded. Y

Fig. 6 shows the paper strip disengaged completely from the right-hand feed roll and the suction inlet of the left-hand feed roll approaching the paper strip.

Fig. 7 shows the paper strip suction-engaged by the left-hand feed roll.

Fig. 8 shows the paper strip fed by the left-hand feed roll to the point where it is directed and folded by the related pinch cam.

Fig. 9 illustrates the paper -strip released by the lefthand feed roll after having been folded, and illustrates the alternate operation and relative position of parts indicated in Fig. 5.

Fig. l0 illustrates the paper disengaged completely from the left-hand feed roll, the folding having been formed and the plaited strip moving to the point of assembly.

Similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

The apparatus essentially includes the rotary feed rollers 1 and 2 whose adjacent peripheries contact to form a pass through which the paper strip 3 is fed continuously. As indicated by the arrows, the feed rolls 1 and 2 rotate in opposite directions.

Each of the feed rolls is provided with an atmospheric inlet extending longitudinally thereof, said inlet being preferably constituted by a series of holes 4. As will be seen from Fig. l the holes 4 in the feed rolls are, in the adjusted positions of the rolls disposed substantially apart.

To one side of the feed rolls 1 and 2, preferably below the same, as shown in Fig. 1, there is provided a pair of pinch rollers each having a radially projecting pinch cam portion 5 and 6. The crown of each pinch cam portion is intended to rst direct the sheet held to a related feed roll by suction, and then pinch the sheet into a fold, as will be apparent from the diagrammatic views, Figs. 3-10 inclusive. After the forming of the crease, the paper strip is released by the feed roller to which it has been adhering so that the plaited strip may pass on downwardly to be stacked as indicated at 14.

Each of the feed rolls is provided with a vacuum chamber which communicates with the holes 4, and is also c-onnected to a conventional air pump which will produce a vacuum in said chambers. Each chamber is also provided with a valve or throttling device 7 which at appropriate points in the cycle of operation in each feed roll connects the source of vacuum with the holes 4 or closes said holes, as for example when the sheet is not intended to adhere to particular roll.

Suitable strippers 8 and guides 9 are provided between the rollers carrying the pinch cams 5 and 6 and the related feed rolls.

The rotary speeds of the feed rolls 1 and 2 and the rollers carrying the pinch cams 5 and 6 are calculated to any given ratio to produce the sequence of operations illustrated in Figs. 3-10 inclusive.

Fig. 2 illustrates feed rollers l and 2 having their axes X-X and Y-Y provided with ducts 10 communicating respectively with a lead l1 connected with the vacuum pump and also communicating with the vacuum chambers 12 and 13.

Figs. 3-10 inclusive show the successive folding stages of the paper strip 3 as it is acted upon by the related feed rolls and pinch cams. The plaited strip gravitates to the position of the packets 14 owing to the creases 15 formed therein by the action of the related feed rol and pinch cam.

The feed rolls 1 and 2 in combination with the pinch cams S and6 operate alternately to effect the folding or plaiting of the paper after the fashionvof a folding screen. The purpose of the pinch cams S and 6 is to disengage the paper strip immediately after it has been folded so as to prevent adhesion of the paper to the roll after the fold has been formed.

In Fig. 3, the paper stripv is suction-engaged by the right-hand feed roll 2. In Fig. 4, the strip adhering to roll 2 is folded by pinch cam 6. In Fig. 5, the paper strip is `released from feed roll 2 after the fold has been completed by pinch cam 6, and at this point it will be noted that the valve 7 hasl closed the `passage leading to the holes 4. In Fig. 6, the paper is disengaged completely from both feedv rolls 1 and 2 and moves toward the point of stacking. Y

According to Fig. 7 the paper strip 3 is about to engage with the suction holes 4 so that the sheet will then be caused to adhere to the left-hand feed roll 1 and carried to the next step which is illustrated in Fig. 8. In the latter, the paper strip is folded by the cooperation of the crown of the pinch cam 4 with the periphery of the feed roll 1. Fig. 9 shows that paper is released by cylinder 1 after having lbeen folded, and in Fig. 10 the paper is again completely disengaged, that is, the paper is adhesively released, and moves toward the positonof stacking the plaited strip.

The forming of the creases 15 can be aided by a suitable blade 16 making a score line on the paper strip in advance of the paper strip being caused to adhere to a related feed roll through the mediurnpof the vacuum pull exerted through holes 4. In that connection it will be pointed out that the score line for the fold may be made before the paper strip is engaged between the feed rollers, it being intended that the score line be made in advance of the strip stock adhering to a related feed roll.

From the foregoing itwill now be seen that the present invention provides for continuously feeding strip stock between a pair of feed rollers to which the strip alternately adheres'by reason of the vacuum pull exerted thereon for a portion of the cycle of each feed roll, vthat is, until the sheet reaches the point Where it is directed into folding position, and the fold itself, is completed vby 4 the action of the crown of a pinch cam. The present apparatus provides a simple and reliable manner of expeditiously forming folds in the sheet as it is continuously moving, and without the intervention of such elements as blades, arms, or the like to effect the folding and plaiting operation.

It will of course be understood that the feed rolls 1 and 2 as well as the pinch rollers carrying the pinch cams 5 and 6 are set and adjusted so as to perform a continuous cycle of movement without interruption of the feeding of the strip between the feed rolls.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for continuously feeding and creasing strip stock for business machines into a stack comprising a series of attened connected folds, including in combination, a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls rotatable in opposite directions to provide a peripheral stock feeding pass leading to the position of the stack directly below said pass, means in each roll forming a chamber connected with a source of vacuum and having a single elongated atmospheric inlet disposed longitudinally across the periphery of each roll, the inlet Vof each roll lbeing cyclically disposed approximately from the other and having the capacity alternately to cause stock adherence to a related roll, valve means in each roll and turning therewith for closing said inlet when it is not covered by the strip, pinch rollers having their axes mounted in the same perpendicular planes as the axes of the feed rolls and located below said feed rolls to rotate in timed relation thereto and in a direction opposite thereto, pinch cam portions extending radially from and longitudinally of each pinch roller and having their crowns cyclically cooperating with the periphery of the related feed roll to direct and fold the sheet adhering to said feed roll alternately into successive plaits to form the stack.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a creasing blade is disposed on each roll 180 from the said at- Inospheric inlet to transversely score the strip to start the embryo folds.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,186,018 Maisel June 6, 1916 2,047,710 Schwartz July 14, 1936 2,165,786 Christman July `11, 1939 

